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She places her hands on her hips, frowning as she looks over her shoulder at the new appendages. “Not really, just when I’m pissed. But I have a hard time getting rid of them.”
“Well then, I guess I’ll just have to join you.” I chuckle, grateful that I chose to wear a tank top too. I call on my wings, spreading them like limbs behind me. A smile spreads on my lips as Nelle’s eyes widen, and my golden wings fluff up behind me just like hers. The sun glints off the gilded feathers, sending a cascade of dancing lights onto the shadowed grass beneath me.
Nelle launches herself towards me again, and I struggle to pull in a breath as her arms band around me again. “Thank you, Liv.”
“Of course.” I chuckle, hugging her back. “There’s no way I’m going to let my girl show me up by being the only one with her gorgeous wings on display.”
Her grip on me tightens in response, both of us laughing as we finally pull away.
“I want to teach you everything I can, Nelle,” I say, holding back the urge to apologize yet again, because you know what, the alternative would be that this amazing woman wasn’t on this earth any longer, which would really be horrible for me and the rest of the world to not have her sunshine presence any longer. “And I’m going to make sure you have the best teachers for everything I don’t know.”
“I love you, Liv.”
“I love you too, Nelle. You’re my family forever.”
“Forever,” she agrees.
“Liv,” a female voice exclaims, before a head of thick red curls pushes through the crowds a few feet away.
“Oh yeah. I guess I kinda ditched them as soon as I saw you.” Nelle’s cheeks redden as Kali finally pushes her way through with Zina and Lucas on her heels.
The sight of all of them together is like a breath of fresh air, like the last week never happened—hell, like the last couple of months never happened and we’re still all newbies learning the ropes—except someone is missing.
I smile despite the pit that forms in my stomach at the reminder of Domenic and his betrayal as the three of them hug me and Nelle joins in, her soft wings cocooning around us all.
“You don’t know how relieved we are to see you safe,” Kali exclaims, pulling back to examine me in her mom-like fashion. “You should have found us as soon as you got back.”
“I know,” I sigh, my heart sinking slightly at memories of yesterday and the soldiers I had to heal. I chew my bottom lip debating whether or not I should reveal that point, but I can’t lie to them, not when it’s what we’re all about to face. “There was a lot going on after though, demigods and guardians that needed to be healed.”
The four of them go silent and step back as reality comes crashing back in. Lucas twines his fingers with Zina’s and pushes his glasses up with his other hand, the gesture warming my heart. Speaking of friends in love, Stacia walks up next, with Katrina following along behind her. They awkwardly wave to me before Stacia wraps her arm over Kali’s shoulders.
“I was about to beg you to save me from all these couples, but I forgot you and your mates are the most nauseating of them all,” Nelle groans, tipping her head up to the sky.
Everyone laughs, but I don’t miss the tinge of sadness in her eyes as she rolls them, trying to hide it.
“I need to hear everything,” I say, changing the subject. “How has the training been going? Any hot gossip I missed?”
I push away the feeling of unease that creeps up my spine, along with the heat of anger that swirls in my gut—yet another reminder of Domenic and what he did to her.
“We’ve all been doing really well with our powers, look,” Kali exclaims as she crouches. She places her hands over the grass and it shoots up beneath her palms. “My fertility powers work on more than just beings. They help crops and plants along too, blooming new life.”
“And I’ve been doing well with thunder,” Lucas says. “It’s been interesting studying the different scientific aspects of thunder and learning everything I can do through that.”
I can’t help but smile. Such a Lucas answer. Of course he’d learn everything he can possibly do with his power. The perfect mix of science and magic.
“I—I haven’t really been doing well with my powers—you know the sea and all that…” Zina trails off, looking down at the grass nervously.
“I’ll help you, Zina,” I assure her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not an expert by any means, but I’ve seen them in use, and I’ve had to use them a few times now.”
My stomach twists as I look at Nelle, and I try to bury the memory of Helene’s air stream wrapping around her neck, and the panic and desolation I felt as I frantically tried to save her.
She’s still here, she’s still alive.
Zina breathes a sigh of relief and gives me an appreciative nod. “Thank you, Liv. I just can’t be near any of the other demigods with my powers. They remind me too much of her.”
“If it’s any consolation, I know why she did it,” I say hesitantly, unsure if she’ll want to hear this revelation. “She was coerced into working with Romulus because he took her best friend—her sister, and Domenic’s mother.”
“What?” Kali exclaims, her eyes wide in shock.
